Greece: I am Zeus!

Chapter 245 The Flame of Civilization Creation! (8K, bonus chapter for National Day! Happy Birthday, Motherland!)
Hera gave a wry smile and sat down again: "Right now, Metis must be suffering unbearable torment, and I really don't want her to endure it for even a moment longer."

"If making her the child's godmother can alleviate her sadness, I really don't want to delay any longer."

Hestia nodded, her eyes growing even warmer: "I know, I know. But it won't take you long, there's no rush. Let me finish telling you something else."

"I've come here this time with a gift for you. Well, not for you, but for this lovely child."

“This child is Zeus’s eldest son, and also the first male god of our Cronus family to live three generations. I want to give him a spark of family love.”

Hera gently shook her head and smiled faintly, "We are family, what need do we have for gifts? Besides, I... I haven't accepted the title of Zeus's wife yet, child."

She shook her head again. "Let's forget about it."

Hestia said helplessly, "You, you, your temper really gives me a headache. I really can't imagine how much of a headache Zeus must have."

"However, he deserved it."

The warm-hearted Hestia teased Zeus again, which made Hera smile knowingly as well.

She then said seriously, "But this gift of mine isn't for you, it's for this lovely child. So you must accept it on His behalf."

"This child possesses the supreme authority of 'creation.' He is destined to lead all civilizations toward progress and prosperity."

"And all of this is inseparable from the power of 'fire'."

"Therefore, I will give Him the 'fire of civilization,' which is the 'fire of creation that forges all things.'"

"I hope that after He possesses these things, He can better guide those newborn lives toward a more glorious and splendid path of civilization."

"May this fire become the guiding light for Him in the future, and the furnace for Him to melt His ideas into reality."

Hera's expression changed drastically upon hearing this; she was utterly shocked.

She hurriedly waved her hands repeatedly, her expression extremely firm: "No, no, no! Dear sister, this is absolutely not allowed!"

"This gift of yours is far too heavy! I cannot accept it, and neither can the child!"

"He already possesses sufficient authority, so how could He possibly usurp your great authority?"

"This is not an ordinary branch under your authority, but one of your most core origins!"

"I absolutely cannot accept this gift! Don't say another word!"

Hestia smiled gently, offering no argument, but simply pulled her beloved sister back into her arms.
“Dear Hera, didn’t I already say? This isn’t a gift for you, it’s for this child. So you have no right to refuse it on His behalf.”

Hera, her expression agitated, wanted to refuse again, but Hestia gently stopped her by raising her hand.

"Don't get so worked up. What's the big deal about this little thing?"

“My authority has long been linked with Zeus. Fire will eternally exist in the thunder and in the light, revolving endlessly on that supreme divine throne.”

"Even if some power is given away, what impact will it have on me? It's just drawing out a 'spark of civilization,' and I will suffer no loss."

“My dear sister, the meaning of fire lies in sharing and igniting, bringing warmth to all living beings. A warmth that is monopolized is not only meaningless, but will also eventually be extinguished.”

“This child’s authority to ‘create’ is very powerful and is destined to be incredibly great, but He still lacks a lot.”

“Even though Metis became His godmother and had ‘wisdom’ as the foundation, there were still two things missing.”

The Lord of Fire raised two knuckles. “It’s missing that little bit of ‘spark of inspiration,’ and that ‘continuous energy to turn all ideas into reality.’”

"Isn't my 'fire' the best complement?"

"Only with this 'fire of civilization' and this 'fire of forging reality' can He transform all 'possibilities' into 'reality'."

Hera's golden eyes shone as she gazed at Hestia, murmuring, "Hestia... my sister... this... I..."

Hestia smiled gently: "Alright, let's not waste any more time. Aren't you still going to Metis's place?"

Before she finished speaking, Hestia took out a ball of "fire" that she had prepared long ago from her original laws without hesitation—the "fire of civilization creation"!
It was a sacred flame, incredibly hot and dazzling, displaying nine colors.

The temperature is intense yet gentle, bright yet not harsh, as if it were a burning heart forged from billions of nascent stars.

It contains endless scenes of forging and blueprints for civilization.

And this most precious and sacred spark was gently and without hesitation sent into Hera's womb.

The brilliant, warm fire seeped in silently, and the "Sea of ​​Creation" rippled gently.

The sleeping child in the womb, acting solely on instinct, joyfully opened its unseen "mouth of God" and swallowed the warm spark.

Hestia, the great master of fire, the warmest goddess of fire, selflessly and generously forged all "possibilities" into "reality," and infused "all matter" with the most crucial and indispensable element to transform it into "vessels"!
That eternal and inextinguishable furnace of civilization creation!
Suddenly, in the depths of the pulsating sea of ​​the fetus, a tiny yet extremely stable "furnace spark" ignited.

He does not make a fuss, yet he gives warmth to all thoughts.

He was neither impatient nor hasty, yet he made it possible for ideas to materialize into reality.

The great, sacred, most precious, and most valuable fire was infused into the body of "creation," becoming the eternal driving force within "creation"!
From then on, creation received its most sacred initial impetus; creation was supported by the flame of civilization; and creation also had infinite energy as its foundation.

From then on, "civilization" gained the core fire of iterative accumulation, and "craftsmanship" had the enduring furnace to forge inspiration into objects.

And all of this stems from the great Lord of Fire, whose love is the warmest, most selfless, and greatest for all living beings!

Creativity no longer exists solely in poetry, and skill no longer depends solely on imagination.

Inspiration has a furnace, forging has a hammer, civilization has a fire, and all things can be learned!
All of this is because of that warmest goddess, who was willing to share a spark of her heart's fire with the "future," bringing hope to all living beings!

Praise be to Hestia—the sacred, warm, primordial fire!
Praise be to that eternally burning, selflessly gifted, sacred flame of civilization!
Praise be to that inextinguishable furnace, the source of all arts!
When everything was settled, Hera slowly lowered her head, her fingertips gently resting on her slender, flat abdomen.

She could clearly feel that the "spark of civilization" given to her by Hestia was radiating an eternal and sacred warmth within her.

Like a heart lamp placed at the bottom of the sea, it beats steadily and for a long time.

That was the "fire of civilization" that Hestia had just bestowed upon her, embracing the "sea of ​​creation" within her body, transforming into the most peaceful heartbeat for her sleeping child.

She raised her eyes and looked at Hestia, her golden pupils filled with a tidal wave of gratitude and warmth: "Sister."

Before she could finish speaking, Hestia gently pulled her into her arms once again.

The Lord of Warmth smiled gently, "Don't say thank you anymore. We are one family of gods. You should stop trapping yourself in those sharp obsessions."

She blinked her fiery eyelashes playfully, then muttered a complaint, half-jokingly, "Well, Zeus is indeed a bad guy. But as the older sister, shouldn't we always be a little more forgiving of him?"

Hestia winked playfully at Hera.

Hera's heart softened at her lighthearted teasing. She pursed her lips tightly and remained silent for a long time before finally speaking slowly.

Her voice was filled with profound emotion: "Hestia, my dear sister, thank you. On behalf of this unborn child, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

"The selfless gift you have given to this child is a precious grace that He should be forever grateful for, forever remember, and forever repay."

Hestia simply smiled gently, raised her hand and affectionately pinched the tip of her delicate nose, teasingly saying, "You're always so stubborn. Why do you always say such formal things? We're all one family of gods. It's truly good when everyone is doing well."

She released her embrace and gently brushed a stray strand of golden hair from Hera's temple: "Alright, you should go to Metis's place soon too. You are both gentle and kind goddesses. Whatever it is, just be honest and speak openly with her face to face."

"I believe that the precious friendship between you will never be damaged by that wicked Zeus."

Hestia put her hand on Hera's shoulder and earnestly instructed her, "Remember to tell Metis about the 'godmother' matter properly."

"Tell her that you can have the God King's eldest son together, the most adorable child. Let this child have both the 'evolutionary' power you bestowed and the 'wisdom' direction she guides."

Hearing this, Hera nodded just as earnestly, the turmoil in her heart now soothed by a more resolute warmth.

After Hestia left, the magnificent temple of fertility once again fell into silence.

Hera thought of Metis, her beloved friend whom she had always respected, who was tolerant, kind, and gentle, and she was lost in thought once again.

Before we knew it, another day had quietly passed.

On another morning in Olympus, the first rays of the purest light silently shone upon her palace.

The light was gentle and warm, like the unspoken song of a lark, like the soft feathers that had once nestled in her arms during the wind and rain.

She suddenly realized something, looked up and quietly gazed at the ray of morning light, and finally smiled softly.

That smile was very faint, very faint, and even carried a trace of bitterness that could not be completely erased.

That was enough to remove all the shadows deep within her divinity from the corner.

She placed her hand on her abdomen, where there was an extremely slow yet incredibly firm fetal rhythm, echoing her heartbeat as if carrying an eternal promise.

That was the most glorious and sacred union of her and her most beloved God-King.

They are their most beloved children.

It is the sweetest and heaviest responsibility of her life.

Love is a gift of the tides, and after the tides recede, I will be the solid rock that builds the dam.

Happiness is the roar of thunder; after the roar, I will be the tranquil breeze that settles the echo.

She is ready to talk, make amends, and repay.

She was ready to face each and every goddess worthy of her respect with equanimity—especially her best friend, Metis.

Deeper within her divinity, she gently stroked her lower abdomen, murmuring softly in a voice only she and the child within could hear:

“My child, you will be born into a world with less guilt. Your Mother Goddess will do her best.”

Some people uphold their promises with reality; others uphold the light with courage.

She will safeguard order with gentleness and protect love with love.

Hera composed herself, and there was no longer the slightest hesitation in her heart.

She had already gotten up and started walking, her movements slow but each step incredibly steady.

The universe is vast, and its laws are weighty. And love is an unavoidable tide, yet one that can be calmed.

It crosses the boundary between "sacrifice" and "forgiveness"; it travels through the stubbornness between "fidelity" and "presence".

Ultimately, in the warm mornings of love and being loved, great miracles that can be repeated time and time again are born.

Patience and sacrifice, fulfillment and tolerance in love are never two diverging rivers, but rather a warm light that quietly converges in the shadows.

Before the temple, Asteria and Leto stood side by side.

They watched silently as Hera's resolute figure departed.

A gentle breeze stirred their clothes, and the silver-blue woven pattern of their long skirts resembled the gentle waves stirred by the wind.

These two stunning goddesses were like two beautiful statues, silent and still as a gentle breeze.

Asteria's eyes were still very bright, like a shooting star that streaked swiftly across the night sky.

However, within that dazzling light, there was an indescribable complexity.

Leto reached out and gently placed his palm on his sister's slightly cold hand, quietly conveying warmth and peace to her.

The light and brilliance of Asteria are accustomed to being displayed in the starry sky, and even on a clear, cloudless day, they can still captivate the eye.

She wasn't yet adept at finding a way out of the harsh reality filled with shadows.

However, she is already learning to accept it.

She remembered the pure and unadulterated gentleness of the goddess Hera, and the loving care and kindness this matriarch had shown to her and her sisters.

Then I recalled the domineering gaze of Zeus, the king of the gods, which was irresistible.

The God-King's gaze was as intense as the sun and as oppressive as a storm. It was the most attractive yet deadly radiance in the entire universe.

She resisted it for no reason, yet she couldn't deny the brilliance of the light itself.

She doesn't like this.

However, she also knew that some things had to be accepted. Gazing at Hera's departing figure, she silently thought: If only one day in the future she would have to take another step closer to that god-king.
She would first keep this apology deep in her heart.

Then, I will repay the debt of gratitude I owe to Goddess Hera today with ten thousand times the effort.

Leto's palm was more steady.

She always understood that when faced with true power and order, choices are few. Enduring and making sacrifices are the only paths one can take.

The sisters remained silent in unison, having already decided on the path they were about to embark on.

Time is always the best healer.

After several days of reflection, the serene and wise goddess of wisdom finally returned to shore from the turbulent waves of her heart, regaining peace and tranquility.

True wisdom is about never allowing oneself to remain trapped in a vortex of pointless suffering.

However, the inexplicable sense of urgency in her heart inevitably intensified a little.

She is now teaching her dear sister more seriously and comprehensively all the techniques for capturing the God King!
As Hera's best friend, she knew Hera all too well.

Hera's pride and divine status would never allow her to join Zeus in his folly, along with any other goddess.

If that's the case, then surely if the sisters go together, they'll have a better chance of winning the favor of their beloved god-king?
After all, their beloved God-King is just that kind of god!
When Metis heard from the Nymph that Hera had come to visit, he couldn't help but be taken aback.

But soon, she roughly understood Hera's purpose.

Hera must have come to apologize for herself, filled with overwhelming guilt.

The elegant and modest Metis couldn't help but sigh deeply in his heart.

This is clearly all the fault of our beloved God-King, so how can we blame Hera?
In this world, who can truly resist the will of the God-King?

Hera, too, was a pitiful victim suffering greatly from torment and torture.

Miho's Eurynome looked at her sister with a hint of worry in her eyes.

Metis simply returned her a reassuring smile, a smile without a trace of gloom. She took her sister's hand and they went out of the palace together to greet her.

Upon seeing Metis on the palace steps, the moment Hera saw the genuine, unforced smile of comfort on her face, her already unbearable shame reached its peak.

She parted her lips slightly and called out in a weak voice, "Metis."

Metis didn't say anything, but the smile on his face became even warmer and more approachable.

She stepped forward, took Hera's slightly cold and stiff little hand, and led her into the hall.

"Hera, my friend, welcome. Please don't overthink it."

"I just want you to know that you are always welcome here."

"Just like before, you're always welcome. We're best friends forever. And from now on, we've become even closer. We'll be even closer in the future."

Hera, heavy-hearted and lost in thought, remained silent.

She opened her mouth several times to speak, but didn't know where to begin; the words in her throat were all blocked by invisible guilt.

Metis led Hera directly into the most private inner sanctum.

Just like countless times before, they sat together on the soft cloud bed.

Metis gently took Hera's hands, which were trembling slightly with nervousness.

Their eyes, both of the same color, were golden, and they looked at each other.

Metis smiled gently and said in the most sincere and earnest tone, "Hera, I know everything. You don't need to say anything more."

"It's not your fault at all, it's all Zeus's fault. He's too greedy and too amorous, always making us goddesses sad and heartbroken."

"But who made us so weak-willed? We all ended up loving this bad guy so deeply."

"But that's nothing. We have endless eternal life, and we will stay with Zeus forever, until we are immortal."

"In the infinite river of time, we can all love Zeus to our heart's content, and we can all enjoy Zeus's love to our heart's content."

"What will this little bit of heartache we're experiencing now amount to in the long, beautiful years to come?"

"It's just adding another ripple worth savoring to our immortal love."

The more magnanimous Metis appeared, the more guilty Hera felt.

She kept her head bowed deeply, showing no pride whatsoever, like a little girl who had made a mistake.

She could only whisper, almost inaudibly, "Metis, my best friend, I'm so sorry, so very sorry. It's my fault, I couldn't refuse Zeus. I'm so sorry."

Metis gently pulled Hera into his arms, embracing her and saying softly, "Hera, how could I blame you? I'll say it again, it's not your fault."

“I know how noble and holy your divine status is, and I know even more the torment you have endured for it.”

“You’ve endured this for far too long, really. It’s not your fault, I know all that.”

Metis embraced her best friend and whispered in her ear, "Hera, Hera, love is the most irrational thing in the world. There are many things in this world that can be restrained by reason. But love is definitely not one of them."

“You have already done your best to restrain your flawless love. It is not your fault. I know that Zeus forced you.”

“You and I both know that no one can defy Zeus’s will. Whatever He wants to do, He can always do, no matter what it is.”

"He appears to be the most gentle, but in reality, he is also the most domineering. Once He has decided on something, it must be done."

“I told you earlier that if it were you, the kind and gentle you, who could become Zeus’s wife, I wouldn’t mind.”

“I have also said before the gods that I will have no objection to anything that Zeus likes or approves of.”

Metis smiled serenely, his tone even gentler: "My dear Hera, it's not just you. Like Lady Justice, the most virtuous and just of all, she too was once torn apart by the painful conflict between divinity and principle."

"This is not what I want to see. I don't want to see any noble and holy goddess suffer in love."

"Because I know what kind of pain it is to love someone you can't have; it is the cruel agony of endless dryness that all divinity endures."

"And my dear sister, Eurynome. She also loved Zeus deeply."

"I will not stop her from becoming Zeus's wife either; I will help her achieve her wish. And indeed, that is the case."

Hera was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and subconsciously looked at Eurynome, who had been as quiet and composed as a lotus flower, to the side.

She had only just found out about this.

Eurynome knew that Zeus was in love with her, and almost every god on Olympus was aware of it.

But she really didn't know that her wish had already come true.

She couldn't help but curse inwardly again: Zeus, that wicked fellow!
But that was all she had in mind.

She now felt deeply guilty, and since everyone was equally guilty, how could she possibly bring up Eurynor again?

Moreover, Eurynome was Metis's younger sister.

Since Metis herself didn't say anything, she had even less right to speak.

At least not now.

Eurynome felt Hera's gaze, but simply returned a shy smile without interrupting their conversation.

Metis saw everything and continued, "You are all my closest family and friends. How could I bear to watch you suppress your divinity and suffer unbearable torment?"

"If my love is not shared with you noble and kind people, is it to be stolen by those other cunning and scheming goddesses with ulterior motives?"

The goddess of wisdom's eyes shone with a clear light; her words were both comforting and strategic.

"So, my dear Hera, please stop destroying your noble and beautiful divinity. Please accept it with equanimity. I don't blame you at all."

"Our beloved King of Gods' love is so vast and boundless. As long as we can be with Zeus and enjoy this eternal joy and happiness, then let many trivial matters pass by."

Let's become closer friends, the closest sisters.

As he spoke, Metis smiled and moved closer to Hera, his brows furrowed with a tender complaint: "My dear Hera, I can never refuse Zeus. I can't control Him, and He certainly can't control himself."

"From now on, you and I will need to keep an eye on Him together. We absolutely cannot let Him be willful and indulgent anymore."

“Without a god overseeing Him, I can assure you that any goddess could easily seduce Him.”

“My dear Hera, our union is both a sharing and a consolidation; we will build a solid fortress that no external force can shake.”

“Hera, it is acceptable for Zeus to share with goddesses who are worthy of our respect and whose character is noble and holy, but He must not be deceived by those cunning and greedy goddesses. We must keep a close eye on Him together.”

Hera listened to Metis's sincere and wise words and was deeply moved.

She wanted to say so much, but found that any words seemed utterly inadequate at this moment.

The warmth of being understood, the emotion of being accepted, and the elevation of her to the level of "joint protection" made it impossible for her to suppress her emotions any longer.

In the end, all the gratitude, guilt, joy, and love were condensed into a single action.

She could only hug her friend tightly, repeatedly saying, "Metis, my friend, thank you for this blessing, thank you for this forgiveness."

"I...I can only express my gratitude. Metis, thank you! Thank you so much!"

Before Hera's words of gratitude had even faded, Metis's rosy face already held a hint of playful reproach.

Her voice was gentle, yet tinged with a hint of feigned sternness: "Dear Hera, please don't say such things again. I won't like it if you thank me like that."

“Between us, we are true friends and sisters. There is no need to use those formal expressions of gratitude to create distance. That would only make me feel that a barrier has been created between us.”

As she spoke, her gaze involuntarily drifted towards Hera's abdomen.

That spot remained slender and flat, yet it seemed as if an invisible lamp of the heart was quietly suspended there, its flickering flame stirring the soul.

Metis's eyes trembled slightly, and his heart sighed silently in bitterness.

She knew, of course, that within this "lamp of the heart" lay the vision she had repeatedly contemplated in the depths of her divinity—the eldest son of the God-King.

Unfortunately, her beloved Zeus only wished to have his firstborn son with Hera.

“Hera,” she whispered sincerely, “congratulations. You and Zeus have a lovely child.”

"With your origin and authority as Zeus, His future will surely be incomparably glorious and magnificent, destined to lead the civilization of the entire universe."

As soon as the words left her mouth, a deep-seated bitterness, which she had been suppressing, crept up to the corners of her eyes, and her gaze flashed with the deepest longing and envy.

But the goddess of wisdom is not only wise; she is also kind, gentle, generous, and magnanimous. She will only crush jealousy into dust and let the dust be blown to the earth by the wind.

At this moment, all I can offer my friends are my heartfelt blessings.

When the child was mentioned, Hera's chest heaved slightly, her complex melancholy seemingly swept away by a gentle breeze, and the somber light in her eyes was replaced by maternal radiance, filled with undisguised joy and longing.

However, she quickly came to her senses and remembered the main purpose of her visit today from her chaotic thoughts.

She composed herself, grasped Metis's hand tightly, mustered all her courage, took a deep breath, and said in an extremely earnest tone, "Wise Metis, my dearest friend, your kindness and generosity are unmatched by any god."

"You are the first wife of the king of the gods. No god can compare to your love for Zeus."

"It is you who thought of Zeus in everything; it is also you who gave us, the later ones, the opportunity to be with Zeus openly and honestly."

"All of this proves your noblest, most generous, gentlest, and most benevolent divine character. I believe that not only me, but all the other goddesses will also deeply thank you and admire you."

"Metis, my friend, my sister, you possess the noblest qualities and have endured the most suffering alone."

"But you shouldn't be the one to suffer all this pain. Under the sacred and just order established by Zeus, it is even less right for a kind and benevolent god to suffer innocent pain."

“My dearest Metis, I do not know how to repay your kindness. But I have come today with a wish.”

(End of this chapter)